Understanding The Technical Specifications For A Refrigeration System Is Crucial To Successful Installation

Understanding The Technical Specifications For A Refrigeration System Is Crucial To Successful Installation

Technicians are often the professionals who are responsible for installing refrigeration systems. So, if you are such a professional, then it is crucial that you comprehend the basic requisites which apply to installing various kinds of refrigeration equipment. When you are installing an air conditioning or refrigeration plant, you can’t allow any moisture, sand, scale, or dirt to get into any part of the refrigerant system. Given that most air contains moisture, you need to do all you can to control the entrance of it into a circuit during the installation process.

The majority of maintenance issues wind up arising from careless installation or erection. Any opening into the refrigerant circuit, be it condensers, the compressor, the controls, or piping, has to be appropriately sealed when there is no work on them in active progress. If you’re working with R-12 refrigerant in particular, you should note that it is a robust solvent which easily dissolves foreign matter, as well as moisture, that might have gotten into the system during the process of installation. This material gets carried to the compressor and operating valves. There it can become a particular menace to valves, cylinder walls, pistons, bearings, and the lubricating oil. The scoring of any moving parts happens commonly when the equipment first gets fired up, starting off with minor scratches that will only increase until the compressor operation is impacted seriously.

If you’re doing an installation using copper piping and tubing, then these should be cleaned, deoxidized, and then sealed. If you have any question about the cleanliness of piping or tubing that is going to get used, then you should make sure that every length of the pipe gets blown out thoroughly. A strong blast of dry air is necessary when blowing out before you clean the tubing using a cloth swab that you’ve attached to copper wire. Pull it back and forth inside the tube until things are clean and shiny once more. Once done, seal the tube ends until you connect them to the rest of that system.

You certainly need to be mindful of the effects of moisture. In many refrigerants, as little as 15 parts per million of moisture in the refrigerant can trigger serious corrosion in a refrigeration system. Corrosion is often the result from water coming into contact with the hydrochloric acids in the refrigerant. An ensuing chemical reaction winds up taking place between iron and copper in the system and the acids. Strong acid combines with compressor temperatures and high discharge to stimulate the decomposition of lubricating oils, producing a veritable sludge of breaking-down products. Potential issues include plugged dryers, strainers, and valves, and that can happen from either the oil breakdown products, the corrosion, or both. It should also be noted that many refrigeration systems can see a formation of ice from even tiny quantities of moisture in the capillary tubes or expansion valves if the operations are taking place below 32 degrees Fahrenheit.

Another factor to ensure when overviewing technical specifications of Bluon Energy – refrigerant types you are installing is making sure there is more than sufficient space left around primary equipment portions. This is so that there is working room for servicing purposes later on. If not, equipment would have to get moved post-installation just to make serviceable parts accessible to you or other technicians. Of course moving such things risks both damage to the hardware and potential injury to those doing the work. It might also void manufacturer warranties and insurance coverage as well.

Compressors typically require overhead clearance for things like the removal of the discharge valve plate, pistons, and head with enough side clearance to allow for the removal of the flywheel and crankshaft if need be. A water-cooled condenser might need an area that is equal to the length of the condenser to one end in order to provide room for installing new tubs, cleaning old tubes, or even removal of the entire condenser tub assembly. More space is needed for servicing accessory equipment and valves.

Even unitary pieces of equipment need a minimum of a foot and a half of clearance around inspection panels and service openings to that the panels can be removed. Any condensing units that are air-cooled need to be put in positions where unrestricted air flow is permitted so that condensing can take place. If air-cooled condensers don’t have adequate ventilation, the motor might get overloaded to the point of losing capacity.

Every machine and installation is of course different in its technical specifications, but there are general precautions you should take when installing refrigerant lines. If the receiver is going to be above the cooling coil, then the liquid line ought to be turned upright prior to going downward towards the evaporator. This loop inversion will prevent liquid getting siphoned from the receiver into the cooling coil through any leaking or open expansion valve when the compressor goes into a shutdown period. When siphoning starts, then the liquid refrigerant will flash into a gas near the top of this inverted loop, which breaks the liquid volume’s continuity and stops the siphoning action from happening. If the compressors and cooling coils are on an identical level, then both the liquid and suction lines ought to run into the overhead before going down towards the condensing unit, which will pitch the suction line towards the compressor so that oil return is eased. On a close-couple installation, it’s helpful to run both lines up towards the overhead so that vibration strains are eliminated or reduced; it also creates a good trap near the cooling coil.

Make sure that you prepare pipes and fittings with utmost care, especially when you are cutting copper pipe or tubing so that you prevent cuttings or fillings from getting into the pipe. Any small particles of copper need to be removed completely since any finely divided copper might actually go through a suction strainer. Cut the tube square before removing all dents and burrs; this will prevent any internal restrictions and allow it to fit properly with its companion fittings. If you use a hacksaw for cutting, then aim for a fine-toothed blade; ideally, this will be a minimum of 32 feet per inch. Having said this, using a hacksaw is something you should avoid whenever you possibly can do so. If you make silver-solder joints, then brighten up the pipe or tubing ends using a crocus cloth or wire brush in order to establish a good bond. Never use steel wool, emery cloth, or sandpaper for such cleaning, given the possibility of this material entering the system and creating trouble.